The Towering Inferno: Explosion at Scenic Level

[DickieAnginson]

1970s disaster movies were outstanding! They always featured Oscar-winning, star-studded casts from the Golden Age of Hollywood - something that will never happen again in any film - and they relied only on writing, acting, directing and stunt people, physical special effects and sets. No CGI, no animated stuff, just good film making.

[videoclog]

@DickieAnginson Yes, indeed. The disaster movie was the last genre of film making that had something of the glamour of Old Hollywood to it. The genre became unfashionable after 'Star Wars' came out and 'The Swarm' bombed at the box office. 'The Towering Inferno' was probably the best disaster movie but 'Airport' and 'The Poseidon Adventure' were also outstanding.

[bowler8]

You can hear the fireman clicking his torchlight, but it isn't going on and off...it just stays on

[MrVassago45]

She should not have continued screaming after the bounce off the ledge with her body twirling like that LOL....

[Mokkari77]

Poor Fred Astaire looking for her at the end thinking she had made it out alive....

[domovik6232]

It's raining women!

[discobaby795]

Damn! I love the 70's. Great stuff!

[Purplecatsoup30]

press number 2 to see a falling bitch! XD

[supercreamysperm]

They're showing this film on Britain's Channel 5 right now. I just jerked off watching Susan Flannery wearing nothing but a white shirt. This is a disaster film, yet I was playing with myself. Is that normal?

[1985browneyedgirl]

Oh what a horrible way to kill off a lovely lady.

[MeBenHalpin]

This was one of the worst scenes from the whole film.

[Ro34100]

...the woman in 1:46 (who 'was sad with' the boy) looks like Samantha Eggar, when she was younger...

[hegstad9]

The fireman (actor Don Gordon) who informs Steve McQueen about the elevator accident - was a good friend of Steve McQueen. They appeared together in 3 films: Bullitt, Papillon, and The Towering Inferno. He also made guest appearances with McQueen on the show Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Just wanted to say that the two of them always came off brilliant together. Gordon was very good in 'Bullitt' and also very good in this movie. Gordon is still alive, 83 years old. One of my favourite actors.

[CodyZamboni]

Paul Newman risked his life to save Jennifer Jones in the blown up stairwell, all for nothing when then she does a backwards plummet out of the elevator. SPLAT hits the side of the building and careened off. sadly this was Jennifer's last movie role. What a way to end a film career, screaming bloody terror as she falls to her death. Should've been those 2 stupid women who caused the helicopter to crash on the roof. Irwin should've had them fall and hit the SF sidewalk. KABOOM.

[PungiFungi]

What fascinate me about the scene is how they made that dummy fall down the model of the building at a realistic velocity. It didn't look like they slow the film down.

[kangaroosbraun]

I feel mores terrified for that little girl in the arms of FAYE DUNAWAY....and once and for all Carol Lynley is not in this scene, shes not even in the MOVIE

[kangaroosbraun]

all you people have made my day...hyour comments are so funny. Jennifer Jones was a big power player in Hollywood even into the noughties. Miss Jones knew that her character falling ouut of the elevator would make audiences remember her, in fact a whole new aufience, as she was practically forgotten, and NOBODY should be killed just becasue of her dress

[floooky1]

I remember entering the Hyatt Regency lobby and instantly recognizing those elevators from this movie.

The first time I saw this scene I thought they grabbed the girl and just let Jennifer Jones fall out.

[edwie]

Actually that was a signature in every Irwin Allen movie. Have you fall in love with a certain, sweet caring character to then kill it off in the middle of the movie. Remember The Swarm?

[larkpraise]

Big mistake in this film killing of Jennifer Jones' character.

[PungiFungi]

Having her hit the side of the building seem like a way to rub it in. Irwin Alle is such a sadist and his audience is the perfect masochist.

[300cboy]

I have to say that this to me is by far the worst part of the movie and I also think that this is one of Jennifer Jones best roles. The thing that really makes me think is this could really happen to the Burj Dubai if there was ever a fire in it.

[KeybladeKH]

Let's hope you didn't jinx the Burj Dubai. It makes me nervous.

[PungiFungi]

Olivia de Havilland turned down the part of Mrs. Mueller, only to regret it later when the movie was a big hit.

[Horrorman5]

i think J Jones death is suppose to show that not everyone gets a happy ending but the other person (Fred Astaire) is suppose to find a little happiness in something you least expect (cat)

[ignacer]

It is such a strange sensation, it so well done, its so realistic how Jenifer Jones fell from the elevator. And eaven if there is no music, its so dramatic, that it gives me goosbumps each time I see it

[Ro34100]

What a scene! The first time I saw it, I hoped Mrs. Moeller, after falling, could be 'hold' in one of the windows of the building (hehe!)...

The lady that was 'supporting' the boy, in 1:46, seemed so nice, lovely...

[PungiFungi]

That lady was also the one behind the fireman trying to grab Lisolette as she tumbled out the elevator.

[mikemanners11]

00:28 the lady falling to her death is America under the pimp Obama falling to her death,......

[TwoInchLongHead]

PungiFungi, now that was funny!  It feels like my life over the past year trying to survive this recession!!!

[PungiFungi]

Lisolette was lucky to made it in the first elevator, instead of leaving, she ran back for the children. She could have died of smoke inhalation but Roberts found her. She survived one explosion, nearly fell after climbing down the stairwell. She has to run through a smoke and fiery hallway to get to the other side of the building. She then sat through a explosion set by the firemen. She then survived a 2nd explosion which crippled the elevator. Then she fell out. Life's a bitch, ain't it?

[zaniac100]

@PungiFungi Jennifer Jones was pretty lucky to get one of the three best roles in the film: she basically has as much action as McQueen and Newman, and she gets plenty of screen time, and a very memorable death. William Holden, Fred Astaire, Faye Dunaway, Susan Blakely and Robert Vaughan essentially sit around in the penthouse fretting: they might as well have been playing in The Young and the Restless for all the action they got.

[thooogy]

For some reason I always was fascinated by the random interior scenes of some air duct or shaft on fire in the background (as when Paul Newman et al make their way thru the building)

[mmmbad]

When Roberts is in the pipe shaft and looks 135 stories straight down, THAT freaked me out! This is an excellent movie. All the actors were fantastic!

[bowler8]

@mmmbad  Blue screen, but so realistic

[matwsussx]

I was more shocked and affected by the deaths of Robert Wagner and hid girlfriend in this movie. Scared the hell out of me as a kid. Gutted when Robert Vaughn died too.

[zsushbear]

The scene with the elevator and J.Jones falling to her death is very well performed. There is no musical score behind it as it is depending on pure drama alone.

Thats why it works.

It makes it realistic.

Superb movie.

[DBarns7]

No matter how many times I watch this movie, it's still such a horrible scene watching Lisolette (Jennifer Jones) fall to her death. She was one of my favorite characters.

[roaminggator]

This movie scared the crap out of me as a kid, especially that scene where she falls out of the elevator.

[adhfan75]

It's pre-9/11 aack?!

What I can't believe is that thy'd have a glass elevator running outside of a 125 story skyscraper and that people were trapped inside!?!

[BillyL96]

Fred Astaire should have won the Oscar for this.

[soulcornflake1]

He did! He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

[BillyL96]

No he didn't. Robert DeNiro won.

[kangaroosbraun]

no he didnt, george burns won that year

[UFOSPACE1999]

WHY is this building exploding Irwin??? is there gasoline cans places everywhere on this building???

[rainbowmonkey49]

I saw this last night I loved it even though it scared the crap out of me

[pugsley2005]

I visited the Hyatt Hotel San Francisco two years ago to ride the lifts which were used in the fliming of this movie. Memories flooded back especially of the mid building explosion and MacQueen (as Fire Chief) guiding the dislodged lift back to ground....

[fivebearrugs]

I'd like to mention that Sheila Mathews-Allen also appeared in, shudder, "When Time Ran Out" and the 1985 CBS TV-movie Alice in Wonderland as Alice's mother. From what I've seen here, though, is that the fireman takes the girl out of Lisolette's arms.

[fivebearrugs]

Yes, you can add me to the list of people who were...annoyed with Lisolette's death in the movie. Why not kill off Mrs. Ramsay instead since Mayor Ramsay would die later (drowning?)...and besides, Nurse Sheila Allen died anyway in Poseidon Adventure...

[billdapony]

I remember seeing this when it came out in 1974....the movie was a HUGE hit and played to sold out theaters. I also remember that Lisolette's death was a shocking blow that numbed everyone and cast a pall over the remainder of the movie. People were made to grow attached to this woman and the death scene was sudden, shocking and especially for 1974, gratuitous.

[zaniac100]

@fivebearrugs For years I wished Mrs Ramsay fell not Lisolette, but that would not have had anywhere near the emotional impact. You have to be ruthless to script these things and make an effective drama.

[bowler8]

@zaniac100 the lady playing mrs. ramsey was the girlfriend of the producer, maybe if he had made her fall out, she would have called their relationship off

[BumptiousBob]

Sheila Mathews played the nurse in "The Poseidon Adventure".

The guy who played Mayor Ramsey (Jack Collins) was Mr. Brady's boss, Mr. Phillips.

Mike Lookinland from the Brady Bunch played Phillip in the movie.

Coincidence? I think not!

[meanfoot]

Having read both books on which the film was based, I had a problem with Jones's death, too. I was really PO'ed with Allen.

[AdognamedOp]

Poor Bobby Brady, stuck in that elevator with all those milfs...

[Jarvamon]

I was seriously annoyed too, that after all JJ's character had been through in that movie, they STILL killed her off (it would have been a surprise too if you'd read the novel, in which she survives). That could've been such a great reunion at the end - with her, Fred, and the cat!

[Jarvamon]

That seriously annoyed me too, that after all JJ's character had been through in that movie they still killed her off. That could have been such a great reunion at the end - with her, Fred, and the cat.

[ezergvar]

great movie part I love it....thanks!!

[GUCCIJIM]

Poor Jennifer Jones....I was and still bummed that they killed her off that way!! So unfair!! I felt sorry for the Fred Astaire character calling out her name at the end of the movie looking for her....sad :((

[alexisdiva9]

IMO Ms. Jones' character suffered one of the most thankless deaths in the 70s films (after saving the 2 children and their deaf mute widowed mom). No wonder this was her final film (even though she's still alive). The other character in 70s films who had a thankless death was Shelley Winters' in "The Poseidon Adventure" who died after saving Gene Hackman's character. ;((

[zaniac100]

@alexisdiva9 No co-incidence there! They saw the poignancy in Belle's heroic self-sacrificial death and needed just the same thing for TTI.

[PungiFungi]

@alexisdiva9 , speaking of thankless, Shelley Winters saved Gene Hackman only so he can kill himself later on!

[msudreaming]

@alexisdiva9 Whoever said life was thankful. That's why I enjoyed Towering - not too campy.

[ForkliftJoe]

@alexisdiva9 Yeah, especially having her hit the side of the building on the way down! Insult to injury!

She must have hacked off a producer or something...!

"Kill her and kill her GOOD! Yeah!"

[zaniac100]

@alexisdiva9 Yep for Lisolette they were following the formula so successful with Belle in TPA

[PungiFungi]

I guess Allen wanted a downbeat depressed ending. If Lisolette lived, it would not have quite fit. Perhaps they should have killed off Fred Astaire instead.

[lewisnyc]

my text comment below was in repsonse to bdude24's comment a few more below. not sure why when you comment under "response" it sometimes lands up here at top and not below the comment you were responding to......

[cyntulis]

GREAT VIDEO!!! i love this movie

[CruiserLeo2007]

the BEST disaster movie ever made...now a days its ALL about visual effects and global disaster, not to mention the 2 awful remakes of "Posiedon" and its sequel. They dont make them like this anymore that is for sure. Luckily(hopefully), this will NOT be remade (due to recent events) and ruined like so many other "remakes" here as of late. A classic film!

[booth2710]

Did anyone notice that in the begining of the film the scenic elevator has a border- panel all around from the floor of the elevator and to half way up he car - but in this scene when Jenifer Jones falls out of the car the border is gone ?

[mgenigma5]

yes, i remember noticing that when i was a very young. I guess that was a screw up. Though, i was told it was later on that they decided to kill this character and the panel would have been in the way.

[DAVEATLANTA]

There's a web site where you can see the actual "tower" they used to film this movie; it is actually only about 7 stories tall and 15 feet wide

[MikeyL]

Bobby Brady from the Brady Bunch in the elevator! Holy. Memories of the past. Great movie and a pile of stars in this things too. Always think of this movie when I'm high up in sky rises. haha.

[bdude24]

I remember the first time i saw this part. i was eight and Mrs. Mueller was my favorite character, so i was like " YES! she's in the elevator, she's going to live! and then she fell out of the elevator! i cryed as she fell and hit the side of the building :( no question that she she should have lived!

[taykb88]

Nice heroic actions of the ppl

[colby2142]

behind the little girl saying mommy looked like that wife heading to isreal in the posidon adventure.

[lewisnyc]

i don't remember that scene specifically in "towering inferno" but the actress in "poseidon..." who was going to israel was shelly winters and in "towering inferno" there's a heavy set middle aged actress who is actually the wife of the director of both films (irwin allen). her name is sheila and she was playing the mayor's wife in "...inferno" and she played a ship nurse in "...poseidon." if you remember "...poseidon," she was the nurse who brought stella stevens' character a suppository.

[UFOSPACE1999]

That is Shelia Matthews-Allen the wife of Irwin Allen.

[alessandro9999]

poor woman, just meeting probably the man her life (Fred Astaire), she is the heroine, she saved the children. I feel my heart broken when Fred Astaire says good bye to her, just before going in the elevator..I think to him when he calls her, at the end of the movie and when the fireman learns him that she is dead, and when OJ Simpson gives him the cat...the prolongation of her, in fact, he"ll survive because of that, the last thing which will stay from her.Alessandro from Italy

[mithol]

I want to see this movie. If only for the scenes with Fred Astaire in them, especially those ones you just mentioned.

[donnahide]

disaster after disaster, the fire cheif must

go to the disaster for rescueing the people..

Through Mcqueens' I love this movie as the his best.

[mrbrian1965]

Anyone agreee that oj simpson should have been in that scene and fell out?

[samsonslaula]

Absolutely!

[mwbaker1979]

Jennifer Jones was the lady who fell from the lift! Olivia de Havilland was offer the role but turned it down! I can understand why now

[markedjuan]

Olivia de Havilland got her turn when her character was killed in a train crash in The Swarm. But that wasn't a good movie at all.

[AlonsoLegend]

The moment of heroism as she fell, getting the daughter to the fireman.

[adhfan75]

Has this movie been shown since 2001? Quite tragic with that woman falling out of the tower's elevator and all.

Still a great disaster film nonetheless.

[zaniac100]

@adhfan75 It has certianly been shown on UK and Australian TV since 2001. Am I corrent that about 5 years ago it screened on UK TV on 12 September?

[rockintetster]

"Chief-What are you gonna do?"

McQuuen "First thing is I'm gonna kick your ass for asking such a dumb question, then I want you to figure out how come there's not a lot of smoke in this movie in relation to the size of the building- ever see a real fire?"

[scotpens]

There's not a lot of smoke because this ISN'T a real fire, it's a movie -- and the audience wants to see the actors' faces!

[justin19822]

was the girl in the elevator the same girl that was singing in the possideon adventure

[booth2710]

No - the actress who sang in the Towering Inferno is not that same actress in the Posiedon advnture. Carol Lynly was the singer in the P.A. BUT the actual singer who sang "We may never love like this again" from (T.I) and "Morning after" from (P.A) was the same; it was Maureen Mc Govern ...

[kangaroosbraun]

lynley mimed it

[tsparkdevil]

what a great film really enjoy this everytime i watch it the ending is ssooo cool when the chief turns his red light of on his car and drives away

[rickram1961]

One of the very best of the disaster movies ever made. Irwin Allen was an incredible producer. I was upset that poor Mrs. Mueller was killed off in the scenic elevator scene. I wished it would have been the mayor's wife instead. I hated her tacky pink chiffon dress.

[mwbaker1979]

The woman in the tacky pink chiffon dress is in fact Irwin Allen's wife and appeared in alot of his diaster movies.

[CruiserLeo2007]

Irwin Allen at his best! They dont make them like this anymore.

[Ronnyman]

I was so saddened when Mueller died. Seriously, she didn't deserve to. Man, I love this movie soooo much.

[fito65]

The best disater film ever.

With great and legendaty actors